Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) was reorganized in April 2001 as an incorporated administrative agency upon the integration of the 15 research institutes of the former Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry(MITI) and the Weights and Measures Training Institute under MITI. AIST is one of the largest public research organizations in Japan, focuses on the creation and practical realization of technologies useful to Japanese industry and society, and on "bridging" the gap between innovative technological seeds and commercialization. For this, AIST is organized into five departments and two centers that bring together core technologies to exert its comprehensive strength. AIST, as a core and pioneering existence of the national innovation system, has about 2000 researchers doing research and development at 10 research bases across the country, based on the national strategies formulated with the changing environment involving innovation in mind.

Research Center for Photovoltaics (RCPV) belongs to the Energy and Environment department of AIST. RCPV is aiming sustainable development of photovoltaic technologies. As one of the global center for photovoltaic technologies research and development, our activities cover materials, devices, system design, characterization and standardization.

Main role of the AIST-RCPV group in STARCELL will be centred in the development of high efficiency kesterite based solar cells including the investigation of doping and alloying of the kesterite materials, investigation of the influences of heat treatment on he kesterite materials, the optimisation of the buffer layer/absorber layer heterojunction interface, etc.